Known for its beautiful sinks, Franke is a familiar name in the industry. While the Swiss-based company might not be a household name in the United States, it has a global reach, with over 8,000 employees worldwide.
Key Points:
- Franke is a Swiss-based company that produces sinks, faucets, and other fixtures for kitchens and bathrooms.
- Franke sources its products from over half a dozen countries and over a dozen manufacturers scattered throughout these countries, so the origin of your Franke product varies.
- Franke’s products come from all over the globe, with most of its products manufactured in China, although some are made in Switzerland, Canada, Slovakia, and Turkey, among other countries.
But who makes its products, and where are they made?
Does the brand manufacture its products in Switzerland, as it would seem, or do they come from elsewhere? Unlike many faucet brands, Franke sources its products from over half a dozen countries and over a dozen manufacturers scattered throughout these countries, so the origin of your Franke product varies.
About Franke
Franke is a Swiss company based out of Aarburg, Switzerland, with over a century of experience. Like other industry leaders, Franke didn’t start with sinks and faucets. Instead, the company, founded by Herman Franke, began in 1911 as a sheet metal shop.
Over the next few centuries, the company shifted its focus to kitchen sinks, making its first kitchen sink in 1925.
Franke is known for its kitchen sinks, but it also produces other fixtures that accompany kitchen sinks, including kitchen faucets, garbage disposals, ovens, and vent hoods.
Today, the company has locations around the world, established in 40 countries and complete with 68 subsidiaries. It’s a massive company with an equally enormous reach, rivaling top brands like Elkay and Blanco.
Product Lineup
While Franke is known for its kitchen sinks, it offers far more than a couple of kitchen sinks. Instead, the brand offers an extensive range of products, including the following:
- Kitchen faucets
- Bathroom faucets
- Utility sinks
- Bathroom accessories
- Water filtration systems
- Ovens
- Vent hoods
- Garbage disposals
- Coffee systems
- Aerospace and gas turbine parts
- Devices to disinfect medical equipment
- Food service equipment
- Beverage containers
Where Can You Buy Franke Products?
Franke’s products are widely available from an array of familiar sellers. While its customers can’t purchase directly from its website, its products are available at several places, including the following:
- Wayfair
- Walmart
- Ebay
- Overstock
- Amazon
- Lowe’s
Where Are Franke Sinks And Faucets Made?
Franke’s products come from all over the globe, so the origin of your Franke faucet or sink depends on the model you have. Many of its products are manufactured in China, although a few are made in Taiwan.
Some of its stainless steel sinks are made in Switzerland, while some of its stainless steel sink lineup is produced in Canada.
Many of its enameled cast-iron sinks come from Slovakia, and several of its ceramic sinks come from Turkey. That said, most of its products come from China, as labor costs are much lower than in other locations.
As far as its faucets go, Franke doesn’t manufacture them itself – it never has. The taps are more of a complementary line, designed to accompany its shining stars: the sinks. While the company’s Swiss roots seemingly imply the faucets are made there, the faucets are actually made everywhere but in Switzerland.
Most of its faucet lineup comes from China, with around 80% imported from there. A couple of products come from the United States and European countries, although most of the lineup is imported from China. Once upon a time, the company sold upscale Italian faucets made by Gessi, SpA, but it has since discontinued these products.
Most faucet companies source their products primarily from one country, usually Asian countries, so Franke breaks the mold by sourcing from all over the globe.
Who Makes Them?
Given the extensive list of origins, pinpointing the exact manufacturers is tricky. The company sources its products from varying manufacturing facilities throughout China, Taiwan, Switzerland, Slovakia, Turkey, the U.S., and a few European countries.
The exact manufacturer is based on the product, so it varies from one to the next.
Are Franke Products Any Good?
Quality
Franke’s products are known to be good quality, but without evaluating them ourselves, it’s tough to make a conclusive decision. So, we opted to assess the materials used to make the products and customer reviews, with can be ever valuable when considering a new product.
Franke’s kitchen sinks come in an array of materials, including stainless steel, granite, enameled cast iron, and ceramic. For the most part, the materials seem to be of good quality, and many of its sinks have excellent customer reviews.
Its faucets mirror the same picture of quality, featuring durable brass construction and ceramic disk cartridges. Both are standard in high-quality faucets, so they bode well for the overall quality of Franke’s faucets. Many of these faucets feature excellent reviews, but there were a few dissatisfied customers on certain products, so we recommend sifting through the reviews before purchasing.
Design
Franke’s kitchen sinks come in almost every configuration and style you’d expect. Franke has plenty of options, from sharp, clean rectangular sinks to uniquely shaped, softly curved ones. There are double-bowl, single-bowl, undermount, drop-in, and apron-front (farmhouse) sinks.
The sinks are its focus, so Franke has plenty of designs to choose from.
On the other hand, its faucets aren’t quite as plentiful. That said, there are still dozens of options to choose from, with varying aesthetics, including modern, transitional, and a few traditional designs. Its modern lineup encompasses design trends, including spring spouts, high arcs, spray heads with multiple settings, and single-handle designs.
They’re available in multiple finishes, including matte black, stainless steel, and polished nickel.
Pricing
Franke’s offerings are far from budget-friendly. Its kitchen sinks come in a dramatic price range, with cheaper models starting around $250 and pricier models exceeding $1,800. So, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly sink, you might not find it in Franke’s offerings.
Its faucets are nearly the same story. While a few models are available that could classify as inexpensive (compared to its other models), many of its faucets cost well over $500, with a few options tipping the scale over $700.
Technology
Unfortunately, Franke’s faucet lineup doesn’t feature current tech inclusions, like touch-on, touchless, or voice-activated models. This isn’t entirely surprising, as its faucets aren’t the main focus – the sinks are.
So, if you’re looking for the ultimate convenience in a touch-on, touchless, or voice-activated faucet, you’ll be better off looking elsewhere.
Warranty
The warranty on a Franke sink varies based on the product, but customers get a limited lifetime warranty for its stainless, granite, and fireclay sinks. The warranty states that each sink will be free from manufacturing defects in material and workmanship for the entire lifespan of the sink.
The warranty applies only when used in standard residential indoor applications and is exclusive to its original installation.
Franke’s faucets come with a limited lifetime warranty for its residential customers. The coverage extends to its mechanical components, stating they will be free of manufacturing defects for the expected lifespan of the faucet. The expected lifetime for each component is as follows:
- Aerator – 1 year
- O-rings – 5 years
- Cartridge, hose, and electrical components – 10 years
Customer Reviews
Franke’s sinks are flooded with positivity, with many customers applauding the products’ quality, design, and durability. However, there are a few complaints regarding the price, cleaning difficulties, and scratches.
On the other hand, Franke’s faucets have many positive reviews and a few negative reviews sprinkled across the listings. Satisfied reviewers applaud the sleek, modern looks and good-quality construction, whereas unhappy reviewers cite leaks, internal components, and construction quality issues.
Given the variability of reviews on Franke’s products, we recommend sifting through feedback on the product you like before purchasing it.
Customer Service
As we sifted through customer reviews, we didn’t come across a response from Franke’s customer service team. Many brands have a team dedicated to offering solutions to negative reviews, but we didn’t see a response from the team on product reviews.
However, the brand does have a contact page with an email address and phone number. In addition, the site has extensive information on its support page, complete with FAQs and support resources like spec sheets, installation manuals, and templates.
Stay Clear of Franke – purchased a kitchen faucet, sprayhead went bad and they told me it would be 4 months for the part to be shipped?
I cannot use my kitchen until then !